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Determination filled David at the need in Andrew’s voice. It was time to make some hard decisions about his career. ‘I promise, and after I talk to Mummy, I might have a big surprise for you.’

He waited until his little son snuggled into the pillow and closed his eyes.

The sleep of the innocent.

It had been a long time since he’d slept like that.

Chapter 5

Friday

Makowa Lodge

Ellie opened her eyes and watched the sunlight play across the wall of her bedroom. She’d left the slatted wooden blinds open to let the air circulate, and to wake up with the early light.

But she hadn’t needed it. All night she’d tossed and turned through unsettling dreams. Images of her mother wandering between dead mango trees and past the crocodile-filled rivers in a khaki shirt and her old cardigan had woken her in the early hours. She’d still been awake when the sun rose but had drifted off into an uneasy doze.

Now she rolled over and groaned into her pillow. Her head was aching and her eyes were scratchy.

She’d been looking forward to coming back to Makowa Lodge and getting back to work, but that was before she’d seen that ugly slash in the ground at the back of the old farm. It would be a few days before she could get out there again, but Ellie intended looking at it from ground level to see what was really happening. It was too close to the national park for comfort. Her mother would hear the truth, if and when there was anything to tell, but first Ellie wanted to be one hundred per cent sure of her facts. Panos had been lying to her – she was pretty certain of that – and if there was exploration happening on his property she would fight tooth and nail to protect the park. No matter who owned the land, it must be subject to regulations.

She would go down to the farm to ease her mind and try to get rid of this niggling feeling that maybe – just maybe – some of Mum’s theories weren’t so farfetched. Why had she put those newspaper clippings of Panos and that man in the folder?

And what about Kane McLaren and his connection to Sordina? Was it just a coincidence that he had turned up when he did? Or was he somehow involved? He was supposed to be a pilot, but he said he wouldn’t be flying. Ellie shook her head and the smooth cotton of the pillow rubbed against her cheek as the thoughts circled her mind.

No, if he was involved with Panos, he’d have no reason to be working at the lodge. Or would he?

Ellie stared at the ceiling and watched the fan spinning lazily in slow circles, barely moving the air.

Why did Kane unsettle her so much? She’d worked with many pilots over the years, some of them difficult, and yet he’d somehow managed to take over her thoughts in the less than twenty-four hours she’d known him. He’d bothered her from the minute she’d introduced herself on the tarmac yesterday. Was it his arrogance, and his attitude to her as a pilot? Why should she care what a macho engineer thought of her ability? She knew she was one of the best pilots in the Territory and didn’t need to prove herself to anybody.

Today they would be together again, set to take the drive down to Jim Jim Falls and she’d just have to deal with it.

Ellie rolled out of bed and stumbled into the small bathroom, determined to get Kane McLaren out of her head. She scrabbled through the cupboard for some paracetamol capsules and popped two into her mouth with a handful of water.

Ten minutes later she walked into the staff dining room at the back of the lodge in search of her first coffee of the day. Kane was sitting at a table with an iPad in front of him. He glanced up and nodded as Ellie crossed to the coffee machine and she smiled tightly as she picked up a cup. At last her head had stopped throbbing. The noticeboard held a colourful poster announcing the band appearing in the Makowa Lodge main bar on Sunday night. At least there was something to look forward to.

‘Come and join me.’ The corners of Kane’s mouth tilted up in a brief smile. So Mr Fix-it appeared to be in a better mood today. After her cup was full, she walked across and pulled out the chair opposite him.

His hair was damp and he wore a khaki shirt the same as hers.

‘Thanks for showing me to my apartment last night.’ He was watching her intently as she checked out his work uniform. It suited him.

‘No problem. Did you get settled in okay?’ Ellie closed her eyes for a second as the first slug of coffee hit her bloodstream. If he could be civil, so could she.

‘Yup.’ Kane held her gaze when she opened her eyes. ‘Look, I was really tired yesterday, and I didn’t expect to be up in the air so soon. If I came across as a bit of a cowboy, I apologise.’

‘We have to work together, so if you’ve ever got a problem, be upfront. Tell me what’s bothering you, and then we’ll get along just fine.’

‘I will.’ Kane pushed his plate away and stood, leaving most of the food untouched. Ellie glanced down at the congealing mix of bacon fat and runny eggs stuck to the plate he’d left on the table.

‘A word of advice.’ She looked up at him and his dark eyes held hers.

‘Yeah?’

‘Never ask for the cooked breakfast in the staff kitchen. Artery cloggers are all you’ll get here. I keep cereal and milk in my room. I only come here for the coffee.’

Kane looked down at her, and his whole face lit up. It was as if another person had replaced the taciturn man of yesterday. ‘Don’t worry. I’m well used to those sorts of meals.’